


Harmonies

by Julesmonster



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, M/M, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 05:33:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18462494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Julesmonster/pseuds/Julesmonster
Summary: Kurt’s dreams changed when he didn’t get into NYADA. Now, as the owner of Bushwick’s hottest cabaret nightclub, he is content with his life. Blaine is a struggling performer just looking for a place to perform. When they meet, it could change both their lives.





	Harmonies

**Author's Note:**

> So, lately, I’ve been polishing and finishing some stories that have been languishing on my hard drive for years. THis is one of those stories. I originally intended for it to become a much longer fic, but I got stuck. After re-reading it recently, I decided that it really doesn’t need more; it’s a wonderful meet cute story all on its own. So here is my fluffy alternate take on Kurt and Blaine’s first meeting. I hope you enjoy. Jules

Kurt Hummel looked around the bar and smiled in satisfaction. This certainly wasn't the life he had always dreamed, but it was still pretty damned good. Tuesday nights were their slowest, with mostly the regulars coming out, but even so, the place was close to full. There wasn't an empty table or bar stool on the main floor, about half the tables on the mezzanine were filled, and a dozen people were on their feet, mingling while they all waited for the show to begin. 

Tuesday and Thursday nights were their open mic nights and there were a lot of talented regulars who came out to perform. Kurt usually sang one or two songs, but most of his time was taken up by acting as MC and taking care of any crises that arose. Fridays and Saturdays were reserved for cabaret shows. After just three years in business, they were drawing some of the top artists in the country. Kurt had a waiting list of some of Broadway's elite; they all wanted to perform at Harmonies. 

Wednesdays were Kurt's favorite night of the week. Those were the nights when he owned the stage. Those were the nights when he lived out his fantasies of being a professional performer. And he was actually very popular. Most weeks, Wednesday night was the most profitable night of the week. It wasn't unusual for Kurt to draw bigger crowds than Audre McDonald or Steve Tyrell. Mostly because not only did he have a great voice but he also knew how to work the audience like no one else, using his sharp wit to entertain as much as he used the music.

Sundays Harmonies became a more traditional piano bar. James, their regular accompanist on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays provided the entertainment those nights. Unfortunately, James had recently informed Kurt that he had gotten a better paying job with better hours as the musical director for an off-Broadway theater. Kurt had less than two weeks to find a replacement who could live up to both Kurt's demand for excellence and his patrons' expectations. Kurt was hoping for a miracle, but didn't really believe that one would be forthcoming. After all, he had already used up his good luck when he'd met Silvio.

Silvio Frances Delgado was the first person, other than Rachel Berry who had been with him since high school, that Kurt could call a friend in New York. He lived in the apartment across the hall from the two young Broadway hopefuls, just starting their lives in the big city. While most of their neighbors dreaded listening to them sing and practice music for hours, Silvio loved it. He especially loved listening to Kurt. The old man would invite Kurt over for tea and ask him to sing. And Kurt always loved to perform, even for an audience of one. 

Over days and weeks and months of shared tea and music, Kurt eventually shared his hopes and fears with the lonely old man. He told him about applying to NYADA, being rejected and coming to New York anyway. He told him that he was determined to succeed as a performer. And when Kurt was rejected a second time, he cried on Silvio's shoulder. 

That's when Silvio told Kurt about his own dream. As a young man, he too had come to New York looking for acceptance. But things were different then. There was nowhere gay men could be open about who and what they were. But there was one club, not far from where they now lived in Bushwick, that seemed to draw a certain crowd. That was where Silvio met his Andrew. 

Andrew was the love of Silvio's life, but he had died a few years before. Now Silvio had no one. He loved seeing all the freedom that gay men could enjoy now, but a certain part of himself longed for those days when he and Andrew would spend a night at the cabaret where they first met. And those longings turned into his dream. 

Kurt's days were spent working at a coffee shop but his evenings were spent talking to Silvio about their dreams until one day Silvio said, "I bought it."

"Bought what?" Kurt asked in confusion. 

"I bought the old Chambers Cabaret " Silvio said with joy lighting up his face. "I figure you and me, we can fix it up better than it ever was. And I'll have my dream and you can perform and show those snobs at that school just how sorry they should be for passing you by. You're young but I know you can run the place."

Kurt wasn't sure what to think at first, but after thinking about it and talking it over with his father, he agreed. It was better than working at the coffee shop and he already knew a lot about running a business from growing up in his father's garage. 

And so, Kurt and Silvio hired contractors and set to work restoring the old cabaret. It took months of painstaking work but the end result was better than Kurt could have imagined. The oak wainscoting, floor and woodwork were all carefully restored to their original beauty. The rusted tin ceiling was replaced with an exact replica. Kurt picked out rich velvet fabrics in red and aubergine to cover the upper portions of the walls. The furniture was all custom-made to match the details Silvio could recall. They used hand stitched leather on the upholstery and solid walnut tables. 

The stage, Kurt's favorite part of the cabaret, was draped with more aubergine velvet with gold fringe and the cabaret's name was embroidered in large elegant letters. Most nights there was just a grand piano and a microphone on the stage. But when it was lit up and the only other lights in the club came from the candles on each table and the bar, it looked like a jewel. 

The cabaret was actually three levels. The first level was right up by the stage. It actually formed a semicircle around it. There were about twenty small tables for two on that level. A few steps up, ringing the lower level, there were four rows of circular booths, all designed to face the stage, and the long bar was off to one side. And the third level, the mezzanine, held the private boxes and a few more booths. Each box had a table for up to six people and could be completely shut off from the club with more velvet drapes. 

They opened on a Wednesday night and Kurt was their very first performer. They didn't pack the club that night, but it didn't take long for them to become the hottest club in Bushwick. 

Silvio had a heart attack ten months after the grand opening. He lived long enough to say goodbye to Kurt and tell him he was happy that he would get to see Andrew again. Two days after the funeral, Silvio's lawyer informed Kurt that the old man had left him everything. There wasn't much in the way of cash holdings, since Silvio had, unbeknownst to Kurt, used his life savings to buy and restore the club. Kurt had believed that Silvio had used loans; he never would have allowed his friend to sink his entire retirement savings into such a risky venture. 

Despite the lack of cash, however, what Silvio actually left to his young friend was much more valuable. The club was owned outright and went to Kurt. But there was also the building that the club was housed in, including the apartments above the club, three small apartment buildings in Manhattan and the building of loft apartments where they currently lived. Plus an investment portfolio that included shares in Google and Apple that Silvio bought long before they were the huge successes they had become. All in all, his ability to survive even the worst economy was pretty much assured.

Rachel was distraught when Kurt informed her that he was moving into Silvio's loft. It was just across the hall, and at first Kurt couldn't understand why she was so upset. Then she admitted that she was afraid that if he moved out, she wouldn't be able to afford to keep the loft alone, and didn't want to have to find a new roommate.

Kurt solved that by cutting her rent in half. She would only have to pay the part she would have been paying if he still lived there. At first, Kurt had offered to cut the rent out all together, but Rachel had nixed that idea, saying she wanted to make it on her own. Never mind that her two dads paid her portion of the rent while she was still at NYADA. Never mind that Kurt never bothered to raise the rent again when Santana moved in after dropping out of University of Louisville.

So, for three years, Kurt had been running the club, living across the hall from his best friend and enjoying being young and gay in New York. He didn't get to Manhattan as often as he would like, but he went to matinee Broadway shows almost every week and had memberships at MOMA and the Met. He even went to the occasional opera or ballet. But mostly, he lived and breathed Harmonies. With his unique voice and looks, it was likely the closest he would ever get to great success as a performer. And he was okay with that. No, he was very happy with that.

But his obsession with Harmonies' success made each small hiccup in the operation seem much more imposing than it probably should be. Which was why James' announcement was practically sending him into a panic. With the busy holiday season just around the corner, he couldn't afford to be without a Sunday night performer. And finding anyone who was talented enough to both play for open mic nights, for Kurt's performances, and still carry an evening on his own was a tall order.

That was why Kurt was going over the list of people who had signed up for that evening's open mic night with a fine toothed comb. Maybe one of them would be good enough to fill the spot.

"Got a new name for you, boss," Darlene said. Darlene was the floor manager, making sure that all the servers were properly dressed and trained, that the bartenders could make any drink ever imagined, and that the food made it to the tables still hot and just how it was ordered. She was one of the few people that Kurt truly trusted to make Harmonies the classy and elite destination it was. 

She was also Santana's girlfriend. The two had moved into one of the apartments above the club together just a few months ago.

Kurt frowned as he took the paper from her. "Blaine Anderson? I've never heard of him."

"Like I said, new," Darlene said with a smirk before wandering back to the kitchen to yell at one of the new servers for wearing her skirt too short.

Blaine Anderson's name went down on the list and Kurt checked it over again. All of the other names were regular performers at open mic nights. He knew that they were all talented, but none of them were what he was looking for. Most of them couldn't even play the piano beyond picking out a melody. With a sigh, Kurt turned towards the stage and nodded to Tiffany, the girl who ran their sound and lighting.

"Welcome, everyone, to Harmonies," Kurt said with a warm smile. "I'm Kurt Hummel, your host and owner of this fine establishment. And I have to say we have an exciting line up this evening. There are a lot of familiar faces and I can guarantee that you're going to love the show.

"It's been a tradition since Silvio and I opened Harmonies three years ago for me to open the show," Kurt continued. "So sit back, enjoy your meals and your drinks while I do my best to live up to your expectations."

With that, Kurt nodded to James and he launched into "As If We Never Said Goodbye." It was one of his favorites. As he sang, however, he was able to take a moment to look around the crowded club. Most of the faces were familiar, but there were a few new people. One of them was sitting alone at a table near the front and the lights from the stage lit up his face. 

The new guy was breathtakingly beautiful. Kurt had seen many beautiful people since coming to New York, but there was something different about this man. Maybe it was the way he tried to tame his untamable curls with too much gel. Maybe it was the bow tie. Maybe it was those eyes that seemed bottomless. Whatever it was, it drew Kurt in and without realizing it, he was singing directly to the man.

When the song finished, Kurt had to shake himself to look away from the man. He quickly covered for his distraction, however, by announcing the first performer of the evening.

Kurt stepped down from the stage as Charlie took the mic. 

"He's pretty, isn't he?" Darlene asked and Kurt was suddenly grateful that Santana wasn't around that night. She was his head bartender, but Tuesdays were her night off.

"I don't know what you mean," Kurt said.

Darlene just grinned. "Just be glad Tana isn't here to call you on your bullshit. He's the new singer."

"Well, if he sings anywhere near as good as he looks, I think he'll have a bright future," Kurt said, dropping the facade of ignorance.

"That he will," Darlene agreed. 

Each performer was allowed to sing up to four songs, and since there were nine other performers ahead of him, it wasn't until late in the evening that Blaine Anderson took the stage. He, unlike any of the other performers, told James that he wouldn't be needed. He had a guitar case with him, and at first Kurt was sure that he would simply play that. It wasn't often that they had anyone play the guitar there, but it wasn't completely unheard-of. But Blaine didn't bring the guitar on stage with him. Instead, he took James' seat at the piano and began playing around a little to warm up, weaving in and out of familiar tunes and unfamiliar melodies.

"Hello everyone," Blaine said into the mic and smiled at the audience while he continued to play. "Thanks for sticking around so late. Following so many great performers is a little intimidating, but I'll do my best for you."

And then his musical rambling began to take shape into a familiar melody. Blaine Anderson had stripped down "Teenage Dream" in such a way that it was more like a heart-wrenching love song than anything Katy Perry had ever done. It was amazing.

He followed that up with Billy Joel's "Movin' Out", Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" and finally ended with "Somewhere Only We Know."

"Comp his check," Kurt told Darlene. They were both leaning against the wall watching as Blaine Anderson lit up the club with something they had never before witnessed. He was incandescent.

"He only had coffee and a bowl of soup," Darlene said. "But I'll make it happen."

Once Blaine was finished, the audience was all on their feet cheering for the newcomer. Kurt took the stage again and thanked everyone for coming out. He reminded them that though the show was over and the kitchen had closed, they could still enjoy drinks for another hour. Tiffany switched on the canned music and the stage lights dimmed.

Blaine was back at his table and frowning at his waitress who had apparently told him that his check was covered. Kurt walked over and shooed a grateful Jenna away.

"You can leave her a tip," Kurt said as he stood beside Blaine's table, behind the empty chair. "Mind if I join you?"

Blaine blinked up at him with surprise. "No, of course not."

Kurt sat and looked at Blaine for a long minute. "You do realize that most of our performers stick to Broadway or at the very least, American Song standards?"

Blaine practically slumped in his chair. "I know. And I'm sorry for ruining the night. It's just... I've been in the city for nearly a month and this was the first time I've actually been able to play for an audience. Did you know that open mic doesn't necessarily mean open mic here? I mean they say that, but if the manager doesn't know you or you don't have money to bribe them, they don't have to let you perform?"

"It's insanity," Kurt said with a small smirk. "You do realize that there is a reason I put you on last, right?"

Blaine blinked at him. "You mean, it wasn't because I was late signing up?"

Kurt shrugged. "We usually limit the night to ten performers. Tonight I only had nine. I could have just left it there, but decided to take a chance on you. But, I wasn't about to put an unknown up first. You could have been the first to sign up and you would likely have been made to wait until I saw who else was here. It's the nature of the business, unfortunately."

Blaine sighed. "I guess I should be grateful you let me perform at all. Now breaking away from genre seems even worse, considering the chance you gave me."

Kurt grinned at him. "Don't beat yourself up. I loved your performance. In fact, I want to hear more. I know the audience enjoyed it, but I want to see how they respond on other nights."

"Wait, you want me to sing again?" Blaine asked with confusion.

"I do," Kurt said.

"When?" Blaine asked.

"Thursday night we have another open mic night. This time I'll put you closer to the beginning," Kurt told him. "See how the early crowd responds."

Blaine nodded enthusiastically. "I can definitely do Thursday. And I'll even brush up on some Broadway."

"You should," Kurt said. "But not for that."

Blaine frowned in confusion. "I don't understand."

Kurt bit his lip and then sighed. "I need a new piano player for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. As you could see from tonight's lineup, there is a lot of musical theater performed. You would have to be familiar with pretty much the history of Broadway. But besides accompanying me and the open mic nights, James has always done Sundays as well. He's very good, but you are better. And I like that you take pop and make it work for this crowd. I like the mix of songs and genres. It's different, though, and I want to see how our regulars take to it before I make a final decision."

Blaine nodded. "Okay. I am familiar with a lot of Broadway music, already. I just... don't usually sing that. But I'm sure I could keep up with anything you or the performers throw at me. And I'll brush up, just to make sure I'm ready. As for mixing things up, how much do you mean that?"

"As long as the audience likes it, I'm in," Kurt said.

"So, I could do say Disney?" Blaine asked. "Or jazz or classic rock?"

"Any of the above," Kurt agreed. "As long as the audience likes it."

Blaine nodded. "What about..."

Kurt waited but Blaine seemed reluctant to ask the question. "What about, what?"

Blaine looked down at his hands where they were nervously ripping up a cocktail napkin. "What about original songs?"

Kurt sat back and considered that. "I'll want to hear them first. And only a couple per night. Part of the draw of this place is the familiarity of the songs performed. But I won't object to you introducing a few new songs. I realize that performing at a night club probably isn't your goal in life."

"Actually, it is," Blaine said. "Don't get me wrong, I think it would be nice to be recorded and recognized for my work, but really, I just like performing. And the smaller crowds at a club like this is so much more intimate. It's like a conversation between an artist and his audience. There're no barriers. I think I like that a lot more than I ever would like performing in stadiums where you can't even see the first row. I just want to be able to afford to live modestly from my music."

Kurt had to grin at the man before him. "You, Blaine Anderson, are a truly unique find in this business." He rose from his seat and held out a hand for Blaine to shake. "I'll see you on Thursday. Have twelve songs prepared and get here by 7. Plan to stay through the whole show."

"I'll be here," Blaine promised. "And thank you so much for this chance."

GLEE

Kurt was surprised to see Blaine at the show on Wednesday night. He was seated alone again at one of the tables on the first level, but this time closer to the stairs. While Kurt performed Blaine seemed to be entranced, hardly even looking at his server when she came to see if he needed another drink--coffee again--or anything else. Kurt couldn't help but notice the beautiful young performer, even as he was mostly hidden by shadows. And if his performance was just a little more passionate that evening, it had nothing to do with Blaine Anderson. That's what Kurt told himself over and over and even he didn't believe it.

Before Kurt had a chance to talk to him between sets, however, Blaine Anderson had paid his check and left the club. Kurt tried not to be disappointed, but he was.

Santana, of course noticed and called him on it when he went to grab a bottle of water during his break. "I saw you scoping out the hottie at table fourteen. Darlene said you were all goo-goo eyed at him last night too."

"I was impressed by his talent," Kurt said haughtily before chugging back half the bottle. 

"Yeah, I could see his big talent in those tight pants from back here," Santana smirked. "And his assets too."

Kurt rolled his eyes and walked away, but he did have to admit, even if only to himself, that Santana had a point. Those pants were tight. And they were also very red. Kurt loved that Blaine was so fashion-forward that he didn't adhere to the typical male reliance on blue jeans for every occasion.

Kurt prided himself on his own eye for fashion and often felt like his forward-thinking was wasted on the majority of men who came into the club. Unlike in Silvio's day, Harmonies attracted a diverse clientele, which meant that there were a lot of straight men bringing their dates for the show. Sure, there were about as many gay men, but most of them weren't nearly as fabulous as Kurt. Most of them looked about as trendy as their straight counterparts. And most of them were taken, too. Harmonies was more of a date-night club than a hook-up club.

Kurt had been to dance clubs in Chelsea where his attire was actually on the conservative side, but he had never really felt comfortable in those loud and overcrowded places, where most guys were only there for a quick hook-up or to get drunk.

Two nights in a row, Blaine Anderson had impressed Kurt with his clothing choices and that was a rare find. 

Kurt finished up his show and headed home before the club closed for the evening. Darlene and Santana usually handled closing, and on nights like that, Kurt was grateful. His apartment was only a couple blocks away, so he walked through the cold night and arrived back at his building just as Rachel was getting in from her latest off-broadway show.

"Kurt! I'm so glad I ran into you," Rachel gushed. "I haven't seen you in ages and there's been something I've been meaning to discuss with you."

Kurt sighed tiredly. Sometimes, living across the hall from his best friend was not convenient in the least. Rachel was always so damn perky after a performance, while all Kurt usually wanted to do was take a long soak in the tub, drink wine and then head for bed.

"Can it wait?" Kurt asked hopefully, already suspecting the answer would be no.

"I'm sorry," Rachel said. "I know how much you enjoy your unwinding rituals, but this is really important."

Kurt nodded. "Fine. My place or yours?"

"Do you have any of that pumpkin bread left?" Rachel asked hopefully.

"Yes," Kurt said and then led the way into his loft. While Kurt had changed some things about the apartment after taking it over, he had kept much of Silvio's vintage mid-century-modern furniture. Rachel sat at the black and white formica and chrome table with the bright red Eames fiberglass chairs while Kurt turned on the electric kettle and sliced up the remainder of the pumpkin bread.

"So, are you going to tell me what this is all about?" Kurt asked her as he put tea bags in two mugs.

Rachel bit her lip. "Well, you know that things have gotten pretty serious between me and Clark, right?"

Clark was the latest in a long line of men that Rachel claimed to be perfect for her. Finn, Kurt's stepbrother had been the first. Kurt didn't begrudge her feelings, but he tended to reserve judgment until he saw how things worked out.

But Clark was different than most of the guys who came before. For one thing, he wasn't a performer. In fact, he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. For another, he wasn't easily led by Rachel's overly pushy personality. Clark stood his ground with Rachel and the longer they were together, the more obvious it became that he grounded her in a way that none of the men before could do. Personally, Kurt thought he was very good for Rachel and hoped that he really was the one.

"You've been dating for more than a year now," Kurt said. "I would think that's pretty serious."

"He asked me to move in with him," Rachel blurted out. "His lease is up and he's moving this weekend into a bigger apartment in the same building for us to share. And I know how much it means to you that we live so close, but I really think this is the right step for me. Besides, his apartment in Clinton would be so much more convenient for getting to rehearsals and performances. But I told him I had to discuss it with you first."

Kurt stared at his friend. "Of course you're going to do it, Rachel Barbara Berry. You are nuts about this guy and he's nuts about you. You seriously don't have to worry about me. Besides, you'll still show up at the club sometimes and I'll still meet you in Manhattan for brunch and to shop. And we'll hire a moving service to pack up everything so you can move when Clark does this weekend. You can start in the new place together."

Rachel let out a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad you feel that way."

Kurt served their tea and the bread and joined Rachel at the table. He took her hand in his. "Rachel, sweetie, no matter where you live, we will always be best friends. We're like Mame Dennis and Vera Charles."

"The original frienemies," Rachel said with a beaming smile.

"Exactly," Kurt agrees. "There is no one I love better or who can make me as crazy as you. That will never change."

"I love you too," Rachel cried as she pulled Kurt into a hug over the corner of the table. "Now, tell me all about this new guy. Darlene said you were over the moon for him when I talked to her today."

Kurt just rolled his eyes. There was no escaping the crazy women in his life.

GLEE

Blaine arrived at the club at precisely 7 the next evening. He was once again carrying his guitar. Kurt met him at the hostess stand and led him into the back hall. They had to avoid a few servers carrying dinner orders until they passed the kitchen, but they made it to the small side hall without incident. The side hall held three tiny dressing rooms as well as Kurt's office.

"You can stow your guitar here," Kurt said. "Assuming you impress me the way I expect you will, this will become your permanent dressing room. You can make it your own."

Blaine grinned at that. "Really? I thought... I mean, I know you get some pretty big names playing here."

"They get the biggest dressing room," Kurt said with a shrug. "Which isn't much bigger than this, really. Once James moves on, I'll clean out his dressing room and use it for overflow if we need it. In the three years I've been running this place, we've never needed more than two dressing rooms for guest performers."

"What about you?" Blaine wondered.

Kurt smiled and led the way to his office. "I have the very biggest dressing room. But it's also my office. I spend a few hours a day in here. Which is also why I have the only dressing room with a window."

Blaine smiled at that. "Make sense to me. I'm really grateful for the chance you're giving me."

Kurt shook his head. "Don't be grateful. Just impress the hell out of me and prove me right."

"I will," Blaine vowed.

"There's an hour before the show," Kurt said. "I had Carla, our chef, make up two orders of tonight's special. Have dinner with me?"

Blaine stared at Kurt in shock before seeming to come around. He had a sly look on his face as he asked, "Is this what's known as a casting couch audition?"

Kurt had the grace to look guilty. "Oh god, no! I..."

Blaine laughed. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. I know that's not your style. I've done my homework. You've got a reputation for being fair and a great judge of talent. And there hasn't been even the slightest hint of scandal surrounding you online. That's saying something in this day and age."

"I would never use my position to induce someone to sleep with me," Kurt said quietly. 

Blaine looked really contrite now. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean it."

Kurt shook off the dark mood that had settled on him and looked at Blaine. "Honestly, I've noticed that you've only ordered the bare minimum when you've come in. I remember how it was to be struggling when you first get to this city. I just thought maybe you could use a decent meal."

"Actually, yeah, I probably could," Blaine admitted.

Kurt smiled and the mood lightened a bit. He called the kitchen and moments later, Jenna arrived in Kurt's office with two plates of the special, two glasses of white wine and place-settings for two. They ate at the small conference table that sat in one corner of the room.

"This is soooo good," Blaine groaned after taking his first bite. "Most bars and clubs do not serve food like this."

"Harmonies is a cabaret," Kurt said with a smile. "When we started planning it out, Silvio and I both wanted to turn it into something special. So, we made sure that we have the best decor, the best drinks, the best food and the best entertainment. We have almost as many great reviews for our food as we do for our entertainment. I believe it's part of the reason we're so successful."

"Well, it seems to have worked," Blaine said. "This place is unlike anywhere I've ever been before. And it always seems to be packed with people."

"We've been lucky," Kurt said humbly.

"You've mentioned Silvio a few times," Blaine said. "Who is he? The other owner? Why isn't he around?"

"Silvio was a very dear friend," Kurt said quietly. "He was like my gay grandfather. He used to say he was my fairy godfather. He was the first friend I made when I got to New York. He was there when my dreams of becoming a Broadway star were dashed and he suggested that the two of us open this place instead.

"He was the owner and I was just supposed to run it and perform once in a while," Kurt continued after taking a small sip of his wine. "We planned everything out together. We designed the club and hired the staff and designed the menu together. This place used to be a cabaret back in the fifties and sixties. It's where Silvio met his Andrew. He loved the place, even though it closed down decades ago. So we built Harmonies to be very similar to the club he knew when he was my age."

"What happened to him?" Blaine asked carefully.

Kurt took a deep breath and sighed. "He died. Ten months after we opened, he had a heart attack. He told me that he was happy to go because he could be with his Andrew again. They were together for more than fifty years. Still, I miss him like crazy sometimes."

"Sounds like a very special friend," Blaine said.

"He was," Kurt agreed. "And then I found out that he left pretty much everything he owned to me, including the club. So now I run it and perform, just like we always planned. I have a comfortable life, a happy life, even if it's different than the one I dreamed of when I first came to New York."

"I guess it's true what people say," Blaine said. "Dreams do change."

"What about you?" Kurt asked. "You said you've only been in the city a month?"

Blaine chuckled darkly. "My parents insisted I go to a university where I could get a real degree. I wanted to go to NYADA or Juilliard. But I gave in, since they were paying, and went to Northwestern instead. I got a double degree in music and business to make them happy. But when I graduated, I told them I wanted to try to make it in the music business before I settled for some life I didn't want. I thought they would be okay with that. Turns out, they were hoping that I would give up my dreams. We fought and I took every penny I had saved up and caught a bus here." 

"I'm sorry they weren't supportive," Kurt said sadly. "You are one of the most talented people I've met, and I've met many talented people."

Blaine smiled at him. "Thank you. That means a lot to me. Anyway, I got to New York and realized that I didn't know anyone or have a place to stay. So I called up some old friends from my boarding school days and one of them had a cousin who agreed to let me sleep on his couch for a while. It's been a month and I think I've just about worn out my welcome, but I don't have enough saved up yet to put down a deposit on an apartment. And the people I've met through roommate-wanted ads have been..."

"Insane?"Kurt suggested.

"To put it mildly," Blaine said with a sheepish grin.

Kurt looked at Blaine and make a snap decision, something he was not prone to doing. "I told you that Silvio left me everything. Well, one of the things he left me is the building where I live. My best friend has been living in the loft next door to me for the past three years, but she's planning on moving in with her boyfriend this weekend. You could take over her place. I'll charge you what I charge her, and I won't make you put down a deposit."

"I... I doubt that I could afford..." Blaine stammered out.

"I know how much I'll be paying you once you get this job," Kurt reminded him. "And even if it doesn't work out, you'll still be able to afford the rent. I promise. Let me do for you what Silvio did for me."

"Give me a club?" Blaine joked half-heartedly.

"No, give you a boost so that you can achieve your dreams," Kurt said. "My dream of being on Broadway wasn't really very realistic, considering my looks and voice. But the heart of my dream was to perform and be appreciated. Silvio gave me the chance to achieve that. I want to offer you the same thing. You need a place to live while you chase your dream. I have a place you can live. Let me give you that much, regardless of how tonight goes."

Blaine found himself nodding and choking back tears. His life since coming to New York had been harder than he had ever thought it would be. He had gotten a job almost right away working at a music shop, but what he made was a pittance of what he would need to pay for his own apartment. And everything was so expensive. He was trying to save every penny for a deposit, so he didn't always have enough money to eat more than one meal a day. Now here was a complete stranger offering him a chance for a job doing what he loved and a place to live that he could afford. "Yes, I... Thank you, yes."

"Good," Kurt said. He wiped his face with his napkin. "I need to go over the list of performers for tonight and arrange the lineup. Feel free to make yourself at home in your dressing room. And if you want anything else to eat, just go talk to Carla. She'll take care of you. Anyone on the payroll can eat for free, as long as its within reason."

"I'm not on payroll," Blaine reminded him.

"Yet," Kurt said with a wink before leaving Blaine standing in the hall.

Blaine went to his new dressing room and looked around. It was more spacious than the living room where he was currently spending his nights, though that wasn't saying much. The small room had a lighted dressing table, a comfortable looking sofa, an armchair and a small table for two just like the ones in the club by the stage. The walls were painted, rather than covered in velvet, but the colors reflected the same decor as the rest of the club. Blaine pulled out his guitar and sat on the sofa. He thought he could be very comfortable there. If he could just win over the crowd.

GLEE

Out in the club, Kurt grabbed the list from Darlene and began arranging the order of performers. They actually had twelve performers show up that night and he would have to turn five away. Blaine was slated to fill an hour, so there were only seven twenty-minute spots free for other performers. Kurt picked his favorites from the group and sent word to the others through Darlene that they would have to try again another night.

The performers were always disappointed when they couldn't perform, but they always came back and tried again. The club was too well-known and too many people in the business came on random nights not to try again, so they rarely kicked up much of a fuss.

Kurt greeted the audience, sang his song for the night and introduced the first performer before going back to Blaine's dressing room. He was warming up his voice and playing around with a song Kurt didn't know on his guitar. Kurt stood in the doorway and listened for a minute before knocking lightly on the doorjamb.

"You're on after Stacy finishes," Kurt told him.

Blaine blinked. "I'm going second tonight?"

"Second and eighth, a half hour each," Kurt said with a nod. He didn't usually give out the order of the performers. It kept the performers on their toes and kept a spontaneous feel to the evening. But in this case, he chose to make an exception. "She just started, so you've probably got about fifteen minutes or so."

"I'll be out in ten," Blaine said.

Kurt left him to prepare and went back to the club. He joined Santana at the bar. Things usually slowed down for her while the performers were actually on stage. Then they got crazy during the short lull between acts, as the servers rushed to get and deliver orders in the few minutes that Kurt was on stage talking. The servers could and did fill orders during the show, but most customers were too occupied or afraid to disturb their neighbors to do so very often.

"She's not on her game tonight," Santana said. She, like most of Kurt's friends from Ohio, was a singer and a pretty damned good judge of the performers. "She's pitchy and her eyes keep shifting to the door."

"Darlene told me that she just broke up with her boyfriend," Kurt said. "Maybe she's hoping he'll show up?"

"Stupid," Santana muttered. "You think your boy toy will be any good?"

"I wouldn't be considering him for James' job if I didn't," Kurt told her. "He's really talented. I just hope that this crowd is as receptive to him as the one Tuesday night was."

"Yeah, this crowd is a lot more like the Sunday night crowd than Tuesday's," Santana said. "It will be nice to have something different on Sundays. James is good and all, but he tends to play the same stuff over and over. No variations."

"The Sunday crowd likes him," Kurt said, playing devil's advocate.

"But Sunday is the second slowest night of the week right now," Santana pointed out. "Maybe with new blood, we can get new blood in the audience, too."

"It had crossed my mind," Kurt admitted with a smirk.

Just then, Stacy finished up and Kurt noticed that Blaine was standing against the wall, near the entrance to the back. Kurt went up to the stage and introduced him. "Our next performer made his debut at Harmonies two nights ago and we are very happy to have him back with us tonight. He's a little different than our usual performers, but I'll let you be the judge of just how good that is. Let's give a warm welcome to Blaine Anderson."

Though, moments before, Kurt could almost feel the tension radiating off of Blaine, the minute he sat down at the piano Kurt could see him relax. Blaine was truly at home on the stage. He once again played through a few phrases of songs while he greeted the audience and talked a little about the song he was going to sing. It wasn't cheesy, like some piano bar performers could be. Instead, he infused the moments with charm and a little bit of history about the song and a little bit about himself. And then he launched into a version of "You Can't Stop the Beat" that took Kurt's breath away.

"That was for all you Broadway fans out there," Blaine told them when the song was finished. "But I'm a firm believer in mixing things up. I don't just listen to one type of music, and I doubt most of you do either. Perhaps you like classical." Blaine played several recognizable measures of a Chopin piece. "Or maybe classic rock is more your style." His fingers switched into playing a classic Doors melody. "Me, I like a little bit of everything. So, here's one of my personal favorites. Join in on the chorus if you know the words."

And with that, Blaine began to sing "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." Kurt couldn't help but chuckle as some of the most staid of their regular customers began to smile and laugh and sing along. Kurt turned and found that even Santana was grinning and singing along.

"So, I guess a lot of you knew that one," Blaine said once the song was over. He was still playing a melody as he talked, but it wasn't one that Kurt recognized. "Well, since you all did so well with that, let's see how many of you know this next one."

Blaine launched into "Tell Him" by the Exciters and almost everyone in the room sang along with the chorus once again. It was fun and lighthearted and Kurt couldn't stop grinning.

"So, I've quizzed you, and now it's your turn to quiz me," Blaine said. "You sir, in the green jacket. Name a genre, era, or style of music and I'll do my best to perform it for you."

The man, in his mid-fifties, smiled back at Blaine. "Disco."

Blaine's fingers never stopped playing but he gave the man a playful groan. "Disco? Really? That's what you want?"

"Disco," the man repeated and several other in the audience shouted out their encouragement.

"Alright, you asked for it," Blaine said. With that he launched into a medley of songs from the album Staying Alive. After that, a woman called out for Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" and Blaine laughed as he began to play. And for his final number, a man in the boxes upstairs called down a request for "Shout." 

When the final notes rang through the club the audience went crazy and Blaine smiled at them. "Well, I guess that's my allotment of time for now. You guys really do have eclectic tastes, but that's what makes for a great audience. Thanks for playing along."

The crowd was on it's feet and shouting for more even as Blaine took a single bow and left the stage. Kurt rushed up to the mic and smiled.

"I told you Blaine was a little different from our normal fare," Kurt said with a wide smile. "I guess you like him?" The audience went a little wild again at that. "Good. Stick around and he'll be back."

And the crazy thing was that they did stick around. Normally, the crowd began to thin as the night went on. Some people would leave once they were finished with their meals and there were usually a few stragglers that came in late, but by about the seventh performer on open mic nights, the audience was usually down by about a third. This night, no one left, so when the stragglers came, they barely had standing room. And when Kurt introduced Blaine for the second time they all cheered.

"Wow, guys," Blaine said when he was at the microphone again. "You sure know how to make a guy feel welcome and wanted. So this time, I thought we might change things up a little bit. I've had this desire to sing a duet since the first time I heard Kurt Hummel sing. And I'm hoping with a little encouragement from you, he might just agree to sing with me."

The audience cheered at that and Tiffany directed the spotlight to where Kurt was standing by the bar. Kurt, on the one hand, was a little annoyed at being caught off guard. On the other hand, he would love to sing with Blaine. So he smiled and headed up to the stage and grabbed the extra mic from the stand.

"What are we singing Blaine?" Kurt asked.

"I thought you might be a bit of a closet P!nk fan," Blaine said and then launched into the opening bars of "Perfect."

"Not closeted at all," Kurt said over the music, much to the amusement of the crowd. And then Kurt began to sing. Blaine joined him on the chorus and it felt like they had sung the song together a million times before. Their voices seemed to just blend. There were no hesitations to figure out who would sing which lines. It was an amazing experience. Even the rapped lines seemed to just flow from them like they had been singing together for years.

When the song ended, the audience was whistling and shouting for more.

"Not tonight," Kurt demurred. "This is Blaine's night."

"Well, I think I can now die happy," Blaine told the audience with a wink as Kurt stepped back to the bar to watch the rest of his set. "How about a little ditty from the the one and only Sir Paul McCartney?"

Blaine sang "Silly Love Songs" and followed that up with "If I Die Young", continuing his desire to mix up the genres he performed. Then he sang "Call Me Maybe" which had Kurt grinning because of the silly faces and hand gestures Blaine made throughout the performance. Then to appease the Broadway fanatics, he performed a rollicking rendition of "Broadway Baby."

"For my final number, I was hoping you might indulge my ego, and let me sing something I wrote a while back," Blaine said once the applause had died down. There were a few cheers and shouts of support. "Well, I'm glad you like the idea. Hopefully you like the actual song as much."

"Get It Right" was a song about messing up and trying to fix it. It was something everyone could relate to, and the way Blaine sang it, with his whole heart in it, it was easy to be pulled into the emotions behind the song. Kurt, as he listened, could easily imagine the song on the radio, with a full orchestration and back up singers filling in harmonies.

When Blaine finished, the entire club was silent for the space of a few heartbeats before the crowd erupted. Blaine once again smiled and gave a brief bow before waving his goodbye and stepping off the stage.

Kurt squeezed his arm as he passed, silently asking him to stay where he was, and then he went up on stage. "So, are you all as impressed with Blaine as I am?" There were cheers from the overcrowded room. "I'm so glad. You see, there's a reason that Blaine got to sing twice tonight. Tonight was his audition. Sadly, James is moving on to bigger and better things soon. We at Harmonies wish him well. But he's leaving some big shoes to fill. So, you think Blaine's got what it takes to do that?" Again there were whistles and applause and even a few shouted agreements. "I do too. Which is why I'm pleased to announce that starting a week from Sunday, Blaine Anderson will be appearing here at Harmonies every week. I really hope you'll come out and welcome him to the Harmonies family."

Kurt introduced the next performer and then headed down to meet Blaine. Blaine looked shellshocked, so Kurt simply led him back to his office and poured them both a snifter of brandy.

"Congratulations," Kurt said and clinked his glass against Blaine's. Blaine stared at the glass in his hand for a moment before taking a sip. "So, should we talk about particulars, or do you need a minute to process."

"Yes, no, I mean I think I'm good to talk," Blaine stammered out. 

Kurt chuckled. "You sound so sure of that."

Either the brandy worked to sooth his nerves, or Kurt's teasing broke through the shock because Blaine glared playfully. "I'm sure. I'd hoped that they would like me, but their response was pretty overwhelming. And then to have you just announce it like that... I guess I did need a minute to process."

"Well, now you look and sound more like the man I've been getting to know," Kurt said. "So let's talk salary, schedule and benefits."

GLEE

The weekend was a blur of activity for Kurt. Besides getting Rachel moved out, he had to oversee two major names performing at Harmonies. The guest artists all expected him to be there to greet them and announce them and basically cater to their every whim. Well, he usually delegated the catering part, but still, he had to be there to delegate. 

Rachel was completely moved out by the time Kurt left for the club on Saturday. On Sunday morning, Blaine arrived by taxi with his two suitcases, three guitar cases, an electric piano and a duffle bag. Thankfully, the loft Rachel had recently vacated still had some of the furnishings. Rachel didn't need or want them, since Clark had his own furniture. Much of it had originally belonged to Kurt, anyway, back when he still lived there. So while the loft looked a little spartan, it wasn't empty. Blaine had a bed and a kitchen table and even a sofa. And the huge shelving units that Kurt and his dad had built as room dividers remained simply because they were too big to get through the door.

"There's so much space," Blaine said with awe as he looked around the loft. "And... was your friend not able to get everything out yesterday?"

"No, she got everything," Kurt said. "Some of this is mine from when I lived here. Some of it she just didn't have room for at Clark's place. Besides, you can certainly use a little head start. Or did you want to sleep on the floor for the first month that you live here? Because that's what Rachel and I had to do. It was not fun. These floors are cold and hard."

"No, I'll take anything you guys want to give," Blaine said. "And be grateful for it. This is really a wonderful place. Thank you."

"You are welcome," Kurt said. "Now, I'm going to leave you to get settled in. I have some things to take care of before tonight. Oh, by the way, you are coming tonight, right? We're having James' farewell party after his last show. He asked if you would come specifically."

"Of course," Blaine agreed hastily. "Just tell me when."

"Well, we close early on Sundays," Kurt said. "So the show starts early. If you want to catch the show, be there by 7. If you just want to be there for the party, that'll start around midnight, or as soon as we can kick the last customers out. Don't worry about getting a table if you do come to the show. I'm hosting a few friends in two of the boxes. There will be room for you if you want to join us."

"I'll be there," Blaine promised. "7 o'clock."

Once Kurt pulled the door shut behind him and Blaine was left to explore his new home in privacy, he spun around and laughed so hard he thought he might just pass out.

Once his feeling of euphoria had passed, Blaine actually did explore. He found that there were pots and pans that looked like they had never been used before in the kitchen. Apparently Rachel didn't cook much. There were also dishes and glasses and silverware and a coffee maker and toaster. He didn't start getting suspicious until he found an extra set of linens on a shelf in the bedroom; the bed was already made up with a beautiful duvet, pillows and sheets that were as soft as silk. But what really gave the game away was the tag he found on the towels in the bathroom. Kurt had gone out and made sure that Blaine not only had a bed, but everything he might need to be comfortable.

Blaine pulled out his cell phone and found a contact in his favorites list.

"Blaine, I haven't heard from you in almost a week," Wes said reprovingly the minute he picked up the call. "I thought that you got lost in New York after you failed to return my texts."

"Sorry," Blaine apologized sheepishly. "It's just... so much has happened this week and I needed time to let it all sink in."

"So, are these happenings good or bad?" Wes asked.

"Good," Blaine said with a grin. "So good. Remember that club that David told us about?"

"The one that he and Diane went to when they went to New York last year?" Wes said. "He raved about that club. Harmonies, wasn't it?"

"That's the one," Blaine said. "Anyway, I decided to check it out and they have open mic nights, so I signed up on Tuesday."

"And they loved you," Wes said, as though it was a given. "Please continue."

"They did love me," Blaine admitted with reluctance. "And the owner of the place, Kurt, asked me to come back on Thursday, the other open mic night because they're about to lose their regular piano player."

"So he hired you to play for open mic nights?" Wes guessed sounding very happy for his friend.

"Not just that," Blaine said. "James, the guy who's leaving also did the Sunday night show. So after I blew the audition out of the water on Thursday, Kurt offered the job to me. I'll be working four nights a week, and performing one of them. I'll be paid to do what I love."

"I'm so proud of you, Blaine," Wes said. He and David were two years Blaine's senior and treated him more like a little brother than Blaine's actual brother did. But he and David were also the best friends Blaine had. It was David's cousin who had let him bunk on her couch for a month. "So now you'll be able to move out of Tyla's apartment sooner."

"I actually moved out today," Blaine said. "Kurt offered me this loft... It's amazing Wes. You have got to visit and see for yourself. There's so much room. And Kurt's only charging me what he charged Rachel, his best friend who lived here before. And that's not nearly as much as he should be charging."

Wes was quiet for a minute. "Blaine I'm really happy for you, and I don't want to dampen your good fortune. But are you sure that this guy has no ulterior motives for being this generous?"

"I thought of that," Blaine said. "Believe it or not, I do try to make sure that I'm not being duped into anything stupid. Sebastian taught me that I can't trust blindly. But Kurt's not like that. He's... well, he's different. He would never try and buy a person's affections or use power to get them into bed."

"So you asked his motives?" Wes asked.

"I did," Blaine said. "He told me about when he first got to New York, how an older gentleman took him under his wing and helped him get on his feet and then when he died, he gave Kurt the means to both achieve his dreams and be financially stable. So now he's doing the same for me."

"So he's an older gentleman mentoring the next generation?" Wes inquired.

Blaine had to laugh at that. "Oh god no. He's not old and he's not really mentoring me. I just mean, he's trying to give me opportunities to make my dream of making a living from my music a reality."

"So, not old," Wes said. "I thought I heard hero worship in your tone when you talked about him, but I'm adjusting my findings to simple worship. Do you have a crush on this guy?"

"Maybe?" Blaine said tentatively. "Wes, he's just so amazing. He sings like an angel and he's so nice. He not only gave me this apartment for less than half what he could get, he went out and bought dishes and towels and a shower curtain so I could be comfortable when I moved in. And he lied about it and said it was just stuff that his friend left behind when she moved out. He didn't want to make me feel indebted to him. He didn't do it for the praise or gratitude. He did it just to be nice. 

"Plus, you should have heard the way our voices sounded together when I made him sing a duet with me," Blaine continued to gush. "It's like we were made to sing together."

"You have got it so bad," Wes said with a chuckle. "I reserve the right, as best friend and protector, to have him checked out. But, I think maybe you might be right about this one. Just be careful not to push too hard. Not everyone is okay with surprise serenades in public places."

Blaine groaned as he was instantly reminded of the failure of the Gap Attack as his friends in the Warblers later dubbed the fiasco. "I promise not to serenade him in public unless he knows and approves it beforehand....Or unless I just can’t help myself."

Wes laughed at that. "David and I are planning to visit next month. Will you have room for us, or should I book a hotel."

"As long as you don't mind an air mattress you can stay here," Blaine said. "There's lots of space, but I only have the one bed. I think it used to be his when he lived here."

"We'll be fine on the air mattress," Wes told him. "Take care, Blaine. And don't wait a week to call next time. We worry about you."

"I'll do my best," Blaine promised.

GLEE

When Blaine arrived at the club that evening, he was shown up to the the private boxes on the mezzanine. The curtains had been pulled back between two of the boxes making them into one larger box and he found several people already gathered there, though no sign of Kurt.

"He's in the kitchen," a hispanic woman told him. He recognized her as Santana, the bar manager. She was sitting beside Darlene, the woman who had signed him up to sing his first night. "But don't let this bunch intimidate you. They're mostly harmless if a bit annoying."

"You must be Blaine," a perky and petite woman said. "I'm Rachel Berry. You moved into my apartment."

"Right, Kurt mentioned that," Blaine said. "It's nice to meet you."

"And this is the other half of my soul, Clark Grant," Rachel said with a smile for her significant other.

"Great to meet you, Blaine," Clark said with a friendly smile.

"And you probably remember Darlene," Santana said. "The only other ones you haven't met yet are Tina and Mike. They're down from Boston for the weekend."

Blaine shared quick greetings with them and then took the seat Rachel offered beside her. "You look familiar. Have we met before? Maybe the audition for Music Man?"

Blaine shook his head. "I just moved to town a couple months ago and I haven't auditioned for any shows. I'm not really looking to be on Broadway."

"See that, Berry," Santana said. "Not everyone wants to be in musicals. There are other ways to perform that are just as valid."

"I never said there weren't," Rachel huffed. "I was just trying to figure out where I've seen Blaine before."

"Well, if it wasn't in New York, then it had to be Ohio," Tina said helpfully. "Have you ever been to Ohio, Blaine?"

"I was born and raised in Westerville," Blaine said.

"Wait! That's it," Rachel cried. "You were the lead soloist for the Dalton Warblers!"

Blaine sat back in his chair in shock. "Um, yeah. I was. How did you...?"

He didn't get to finish his question, however, since just then Kurt arrived and Rachel was bouncing out of her seat and over to him. "Kurt! Did you know? Blaine was the lead vocalist for the Warblers!"

"What? He was?" Kurt asked in confusion.

That's when recognition hit Blaine. "Oh my god. Weren't you both in that group with the vaguely sexual name from Lima?"

"The New Directions," Rachel corrected primly as she retook her seat.

"Or Nude Erections," Santana smirked. "Whichever gets you hot."

"We were all in New Directions," Tina said. "Well, except for Clark and Darlene."

"I remember that competition," Blaine said. "You guys were good. You really did deserve the win. But I especially remember Kurt. You sang—what was it? oh yeah—'I Want to Hold Your Hand.' I remember being mesmerized by your performance."

"My one and only competition solo," Kurt said wryly. "And Mr. Schue only gave it to me because he felt guilty for letting the bullying get so bad."

"He gave you that solo because you were fucking amazing, Hummel," Santana said sharply. "The guilt was just a bonus. The man should have been drowning in guilt."

"It's all old news," Kurt reminded her before anyone else could weigh in on the subject. "Anyway, I can't believe we competed against each other back in high school, Blaine. I have to admit that I don't remember much of that competition. I was pretty much a wreck at the time. But I do remember Rachel gushing about the cute lead singer for days after."

"I didn't gush," Rachel denied with a blush.

"You did," Tina confirmed. Santana and Mike both nodded in agreement.

"If I recall correctly, Finn almost broke up with you over it," Mike said. 

At the mention of Finn, everyone grew quiet.

"Who's Finn?" Blaine asked carefully.

They all looked to Kurt and Rachel, but Rachel excused herself and Clark followed her so it was Kurt who took a deep breath and said, "Finn was my stepbrother. He was the captain of our glee club and the quarterback on the football team. He was also Rachel's boyfriend on and off through high school."

"They almost got married senior year," Tina put in.

"Finn was... not cut out for New York," Kurt said. "So they broke it off, but I think they both always believed that they would be together eventually.

"Unfortunately, Finn died about a year after we graduated from high school," Kurt continued in a subdued tone. 

"I'm sorry," Blaine said. "I shouldn't have..."

"It's okay," Kurt said. 

"It's been years, but it's still hard. For all of us, really. We all looked up to Finn," Mike said.

Santana snorted, breaking the dour mood. "We looked up to Frankenteen because he was like nine feet tall."

That comment actually got them laughing and by the time Rachel and Clark returned, they were sharing stories of Finn and laughing at some of the dumber things the jock had said. Rachel smiled as she joined in. A few minutes later, the lights dimmed and the stage lit up for James' last performance at Harmonies.

GLEE

Blaine wasn't sure why he stuck around until Kurt locked up the club for the night. After the small celebration for James, wherein the guest of honor spent almost half an hour giving Blaine tips about the regular performers at open mic nights and Kurt's preferences for accompaniment, everyone else had left, while Kurt disappeared into his office. Rather than just heading back to the loft, Blaine went to his new dressing room and considered how he would decorate it, whether he would leave one of his guitars there on a semi-permanent basis and how much of his library of sheet music he would bring.

"You're still here?" Kurt asked from the doorway about ten minutes later.

Blaine shrugged. "I wanted another look around and I figured we could walk back together. That's okay, right?"

"It's perfect," Kurt said. "Just let me grab my jacket and we can go."

A few minutes later, the club was secured for the night and they were on their way. 

"So, do you have plans for tomorrow?" Kurt asked.

"I need to unpack a few more things," Blaine told him. "Then I wanted to pick up a couple things from the grocery and the music store. After that, I just thought I'd get in a little practice. I'm a little rusty on some of the older Broadway scores. I've got Sondheim, Gershwin, Menken, Hamlisch, Schwartz, and Webber down pat, and most of Rodgers and Hammerstein. But I need to work on Mercer, Berlin, Loesser, Lowe and a few of the lesser known works of Bernstein."

"Don't forget Coleman," Kurt said. "A couple of the regulars love Sweet Charity. Also, you might want to look at Jerry Herman, Jule Styne, John Kander, Frank Wildhorn, Cole Porter and Charles Strouse."

Blaine groaned. "Fire me now. There's no way I'm going to learn everything before Tuesday."

Kurt chuckled. "You don't have to memorize everything. You don't have to know every song from every musical ever produced. You can sight read, I'm sure. And anything that you think is too hard to play without rehearsal, you just tell the singer to give you until the next open mic night. James had to do that sometimes and he has been playing professionally for decades. They all have back up options, trust me."

"I guess I'll have to," Blaine said. "You are the boss, after all."

"And don't you forget it," Kurt said with a laugh.

"It's pretty weird that we grew up only an hour or so away from each other, competed against each other in high school, but it's not until now that we actually met," Blaine said.

"Maybe that's just how it was meant to be," Kurt said. "High school sucked for me. Our glee club was great in a lot of ways. I mean, I'm still friends with all those guys. And you only met a few tonight. But, even glee club was tough sometimes. I was the only out kid in our backwater town, and even my friends didn't know how to deal with that sometimes. They tried. Mr. Schue, our director, tried. But they were all brought up with the same bigotries as the bullies."

"I didn't start out at Dalton," Blaine said quietly. "My parents moved me there after I got bashed for going to a school dance with a friend. A guy friend."

"I'm sorry," Kurt said. He looked up at the few stars that were bright enough to battle the lights of the city around them. "My point was, back then, I tried to stick out. I did my best to make sure that I couldn't be ignored or pushed aside. But that made me... Jaded. I don't know if we had met back then if you would have liked the person I was. Or if you did, if I would have been able to trust you enough to let you past the walls I had built around myself."

"I understand," Blaine said. "I had a few walls of my own. I felt safe enough at Dalton, but... I felt like I had to put on this persona... I had to be perfect to make sure that people didn't hate me like they had at my last school. I had to be happy and charming and polite all the time. I wore manners like armor. Looking back, I can't understand why anyone would have liked the person I was. I certainly didn't.

"And yet, somehow, we both ended up with friends for life from those dark days," Blaine said with a smile as he thought of Wes and David. "My two best friends were like my mentors at Dalton. They looked out for me and made sure that I didn't take myself too seriously. They somehow saw past the mask I wore to the slightly crazy person beneath and liked me anyway."

"They sound like amazing friends," Kurt said. "Where are they now?"

"They're both in Columbus: Wes works for his dad's law firm," Blaine said. "And David just finished med school and is starting his residency. But you'll get to meet them next month. They've been planning this visit since I told them I was moving to New York."

"I think I'd like to meet your friends," Kurt said shyly.

Blaine chuckled. "Well that's a good thing because they are dying to meet you, my benefactor."

Kurt bit his lip and paused just before they reached the front step to their building. Blaine turned to see what had stopped him.

"Is that all I am?" Kurt wondered.

"Not at all," Blaine admitted as he stepped closer to Kurt. "You're my first friend in New York. You're also my boss. And... and you're... Kurt, we haven't known each other long, and tell me if I'm completely off base here, but there's something between us, right? Something more? Something that has the potential to be big, life altering, even?"

Kurt bit his lip and then nodded. "I think so. I... I don't open up to people the way I've opened up to you. And it's not just about your talent or what you have to offer the club. You... you amaze me, Blaine and I just.. want to know everything about you."

"I want to know everything about you too," Blaine said. "I also want this to really work. I don't want to rush things and then mess them up, because even though we've known each other less than a week, I could see myself spending the rest of my life with you."

"Yeah," Kurt agreed breathlessly, glad Blaine had put it out there. "So we take things slow? Get to know each other?"

"Exactly," Blaine said. "There's no hurry. I want to savor every first with you."

"A lifetime of firsts," Kurt smiled.

"Starting with this one," Blaine whispered and then leaned in to touch his lips to Kurt's. It was a brief and relatively chaste kiss, but they both felt like it held the promise of a lifetime of kisses.


End file.
